A Chinese national was ordered to be held on Friday on trespassing charges after police reported that he attempted to enter President-elect Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, despite a court order requiring him to stay away following prior attempts.
Zijie Li, 39, is being detained without bond at the Palm Beach County Jail after being arrested on Thursday when he arrived at Mar-a-Lago’s gate in an Uber. This incident is the latest in a series of interactions between Li, police, and Secret Service agents at or near the estate since July.
Li, who resides in suburban Los Angeles on a student visa, had just been released from a mental hospital, where he was placed in late October after being found near Mar-a-Lago. He now faces two misdemeanor trespassing charges.
This arrest follows recent security threats against Trump, including a sniper incident at a rally in Pennsylvania in July and an alleged would-be assassin’s approach at his Palm Beach County golf course in September.
Additionally, on Friday, the U.S. Justice Department disclosed that it had disrupted an Iranian plot to assassinate Trump.
During Trump’s presidency, Mar-a-Lago experienced multiple security breaches, including two incidents involving Chinese nationals, though none of these individuals attempted to harm him.
According to police records, Li first attempted to enter Mar-a-Lago in July, claiming he had information linking China to the Pennsylvania assassination attempt. Secret Service agents instructed him to leave and not return.
He was subsequently arrested the following week after two further attempts to enter the estate. Charged with misdemeanor trespassing, Li was released on bail with orders to stay away from both Trump and Mar-a-Lago.
Last week, Li reportedly approached a homeowner near Mar-a-Lago who had a Trump campaign sign in her yard, asking if she was a member of the club and if she could take him inside. The homeowner contacted police, who then transported Li to a mental hospital for evaluation. After his release on Thursday, Li returned to Mar-a-Lago and was arrested again for trespassing. Bail from his previous arrest was subsequently revoked.
The Palm Beach County Public Defender’s Office, representing Li, declined to comment, following its policy on pending cases.
